editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Sonari Glinton is a NPR Business Desk Correspondent based at our NPR West bureau. He covers the auto industry, consumer goods, and consumer behavior, as well as marketing and advertising for NPR and Planet Money. In this position, which he has held since late 2010, Glinton has tackled big stories including GM's road back to profitability and Toyota's continuing struggles. In addition, Glinton covered the 2012 presidential race, the Winter Olympics in Sochi, as well as the U.S. Senate and House for NPR. Glinton came to NPR in August 2007 and worked as a producer for All Things Considered . Over the years Glinton has produced dozen of segments about the great American Song Book and pop culture for NPR's signature programs most notably the 50 Great Voices piece on Nat King Cole feature he produced for Robert Siegel. Glinton began his public radio career as an intern at Member station WBEZ in Chicago. He worked his way through his public radio internships working for Chicago JazzNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Sonari GlintonSun, 30 Jul 2017 03:17:36 +0000Sonari Glintonhttp://wypr.org
Sonari Glintonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uK6BIVzcxU While more than 500,000 people have put down a deposit for the privilege of owning Tesla's new Model 3, according to the company, 30 employees were the lucky few to receive their vehicles first. Tesla CEO Elon Musk took the stage at a companywide event in Fremont, Calif., on Friday night to hand over the vehicles. Approximately a half-million people have put down $1,000 to eventually own an affordable long-range all-electric car. "The whole point of Tesla is to make an affordable electric vehicle," Musk told reporters earlier in the day. While Tesla gets much of the attention in the electric vehicle world, this week would be considered momentous even without Tesla. Let's consider the week: The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation authority, the nation's second-largest transit system with the nation's largest bus fleet made an investment of $138 million in electric buses. It's the first step in the city's plan to make the bus fleet allFirst Customers Get Tesla Model 3 Electric Carshttp://wypr.org/post/first-customers-get-tesla-model-3-electric-cars
547570 as http://wypr.orgSat, 29 Jul 2017 14:39:00 +0000First Customers Get Tesla Model 3 Electric CarsSonari GlintonFriday is a big day for Tesla. The automaker's very first Model 3 will roll off the assembly line, the culmination of years of planning, engineering and hype. Elon Musk, the company's co-founder and chief executive, has been promising an affordable long-range electric car meant for the masses. He first wrote about the dream vehicle in the company's not-so-secret Secret Plan in 2006 . And with a $35,000 price tag (and a $7,500 government rebate), the Model 3 is well within the reach of the new-car buyer. The Model 3 is expected to have a range of 215 miles per charge . Musk plans to hand over 30 vehicles to customers on July 28, ramping up to 1,500 in September. But the real question for many is: Can Tesla and Musk pull off a mass-market success? Last month, Tesla sold about 4,400 cars total. While the company won't confirm exactly how many orders it has for the Model 3, it's thought that nearly half a million customers have signed up to be on the waiting list. "Tesla has proven it canAs First Model 3 Rolls Off The Line, Can Tesla Sustain Momentum?http://wypr.org/post/first-model-3-rolls-line-can-tesla-sustain-momentum
546743 as http://wypr.orgFri, 07 Jul 2017 16:19:00 +0000As First Model 3 Rolls Off The Line, Can Tesla Sustain Momentum?Sonari GlintonAfter seven years of growth, the auto market is seeing weakness. In April, sales were off by 4.7 percent . That's despite the continued robust sales of highly profitable SUVs and trucks. That's no big deal for an industry that just got off of two record seasons, but not so for investors. The pain is being felt across the auto world. This week, Ford CEO Mark Fields took heat for the company's stagnant share price at the company's annual meeting. While the company is the number one seller of trucks and SUVs, investors have been upset over the stock price given the market. Bill Ford Jr., the executive chairman of his namesake's company, tried to reassure shareholders, according to The Detroit News . "We're as frustrated as you are by the stock price," said Ford Jr. "Most of (the Ford family's) net worth is tied up in the company, and stock price matters a lot to us. We're frustrated, but our business is performing well. We're making investments both for today and for tomorrow, and IAutomakers Feeling Squeeze From Investors Despite Strong Saleshttp://wypr.org/post/automakers-feeling-squeeze-investors-despite-strong-sales
544722 as http://wypr.orgSun, 14 May 2017 17:24:00 +0000Automakers Feeling Squeeze From Investors Despite Strong SalesSonari GlintonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: The Takata Corporation is pleading guilty to criminal wrongdoing over its defective airbags which have been linked to deadly accidents. The company has agreed to pay $1 billion in fines, and three former executives have been indicted. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports. SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: Sixteen people have died, and at least a hundred others have been injured in accidents involving Takata airbags. Here's how. Now, when an airbag goes off, it's started by a small explosion, so the idea is that the explosion is just big enough to blow up the giant pillow that protects you in an accident. The problem with the Takata airbags is that the explosion was too powerful and can spray out these sharp metal pieces into the cabin of the car. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) BARBARA MCQUADE: Takata has admitted to a scheme to defraud its customers by manipulating test data regarding the performance of its airbag inflators. GLINTON: That'sTakata To Pay $1 Billion In Settlement Over Airbag Scandalhttp://wypr.org/post/takata-pay-1-billion-settlement-over-airbag-scandal
540197 as http://wypr.orgFri, 13 Jan 2017 21:41:00 +0000Takata To Pay $1 Billion In Settlement Over Airbag ScandalSonari GlintonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Now it's time for Words You'll Hear. That's where we try to understand stories we'll be hearing more about by parsing some of the words associated with them. Today, instead of a word, we have a phrase - the five levels of autonomy. And no, it is not the lecture you give to your offspring about when they're planning to move out. It's about cars, self-driving or autonomous cars. And with just about every major car company involved, the race to create a self-driving car that will appeal to the masses is on. NPR's Sonari Glinton joins us from NPR West in Culver City, Calif. to tell us more. Sonari, thanks for joining us. Happy New Year. SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: Happy New Year to you. MARTIN: So I sure want to know what this phrase levels of autonomy means. But the reason we're talking about it, I take it, is that we're going to be hearing a lot about this at the Consumer Electronics Show later this week. Can you tell me more aboutOn A Scale Of 1 to 5, How Autonomous Is Your Car?http://wypr.org/post/scale-1-5-how-autonomous-your-car
539685 as http://wypr.orgSun, 01 Jan 2017 22:09:00 +0000On A Scale Of 1 to 5, How Autonomous Is Your Car?Sonari GlintonPresident-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter on Thursday night to say Ford Motor Co. executive chairman William Ford Jr. had called to say the company would not move production of the Lincoln MKC from its Louisville Assembly Plant to Mexico. A second Trump tweet claimed credit for the decision. Ford, however, said it neither planned to close the Louisville, Ky., plant nor reduce jobs there. The company said it had considered moving Lincoln production to Mexico to increase production of the Ford Escape in Louisville. Trump criticized Ford during the campaign for its decision to move small-car production from Michigan to Mexico. Trump suggested he might impose tariffs on Ford cars assembled in Mexico. Earlier this week, Ford CEO Mark Fields said Trump's election has not changed the company's plans. Reuters reports: " 'We're going forward with our plan to move production of the Ford Focus to Mexico, and importantly that's to make room for two very important products we'll be putting backTrump Takes Credit For Saving A U.S. Ford Plant That Wasn't Planning To Movehttp://wypr.org/post/trump-claims-credit-keeping-ford-lincoln-production-kentucky
538016 as http://wypr.orgFri, 18 Nov 2016 10:51:00 +0000Trump Takes Credit For Saving A U.S. Ford Plant That Wasn't Planning To MoveSonari GlintonGeneral Motors appears to have won the October sales race among the big automakers. GM saw its sales fall by just 1.7 percent in October. It has good company in those sales declines, being joined by nearly all the other carmakers. Overall, automobile sales in the U.S. are expected to drop between 6 and 8 percent when all the reports are in. Actually, the list of car companies with sales increases is easy enough to list: Hyundai-Kia, Subaru, Tesla, Jaguar Land Rover and Mitsubishi. Industry sales were down in October, but Karl Brauer with Cox Media says there were a number of mitigating factors that make October sales look less disappointing. First, he says, "October of 2015 was one of the highest sales months in the history of the industry, so being 'down' compared to last year was almost inevitable." The second factor: There were two fewer selling days in October 2016 versus 2015, Brauer says, along with an East Coast hurricane impacting sales in that region. Through that filter, theU.S. Car Sales Slide In Octoberhttp://wypr.org/post/us-car-sales-slide-october
537311 as http://wypr.orgTue, 01 Nov 2016 22:39:00 +0000U.S. Car Sales Slide In OctoberSonari GlintonSmartphone chip maker Qualcomm Inc. has agreed to buy NXP Semiconductors for $38 billion. The agreement allows Qualcomm, which makes chips for Apple and Android, to become the top seller of semiconductors for the car business. Qualcomm's core business is in processors and wireless chips for smartphones. The deal allows the San Diego-based company to reduce its dependence on smartphones, a huge business that has reached a plateau. NXP is the largest maker of semiconductors for the auto industry. Qualcomm earns more than half of its profits from licensing its wireless patents to the makers of smartphones. Fortune magazine reports that Wall Street was enthusiastic about the deal. "Qualcomm doesn't just diversify its offerings. The two companies appear to have complementary strengths, thus making important product lines, like chips for self-driving cars and connected devices, more appealing in the growing market for the Internet of Things. And after Qualcomm lost some modem chip businessQualcomm Spends Big Money To Get In The Car (Chip) Businesshttp://wypr.org/post/qualcomm-spends-big-money-get-car-chip-business
537115 as http://wypr.orgThu, 27 Oct 2016 23:09:00 +0000Qualcomm Spends Big Money To Get In The Car (Chip) BusinessSonari GlintonThe French-speaking Belgian region called Wallonia is holding up Europe's free-trade agreement with Canada. CETA, or The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement , would reduce or eliminate tariffs and make it easier for goods to move between countries, similar to NAFTA or the Trans-Pacific Partnership. All EU governments support the deal, but in order for Belgium to go along, it has to get the approval of its five regional governments. Wallonia has objected. Canada has been negotiating with the Belgians to get a deal by next week, when a summit between Canada and the EU is planned. This editorial from the Economist explains why Walloons find the deal objectionable: "Coordinating standards with another country inevitably means surrendering a little sovereignty. This riles many Europeans, who worry that CETA will dilute environmental standards and labor laws; they suspect that new courts, established by the treaty to settle investor disputes with governments, will favor corporationsOne Tiny Belgian Region Blocks International Trade Dealhttp://wypr.org/post/one-tiny-belgian-region-blocks-international-trade-deal
536891 as http://wypr.orgFri, 21 Oct 2016 22:06:00 +0000One Tiny Belgian Region Blocks International Trade DealSonari GlintonFaculty members at more than a dozen Pennsylvania public universities went on strike on Wednesday. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties represents educators at 14 public universities. The strike comes after negotiations broke down between the union and Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. At issue are wages and benefits, such as salary, the cost of health care coverage, and changes to the number of students that faculty members have to supervise during internships. The strike doesn't include Penn State, Temple, Pitt or Lincoln which are not a part of PASSHE, a coalition of state schools with 107,000 students. Avi Wolfman-Arent from member station WHYY visited one quiet campus. "When students trickled onto campus Wednesday morning at West Chester University, located about 45 minutes west of Philadelphia, many found eerily empty classrooms. An early morning scan of Main Hall, a five-story academic building near the front entrance of thePennsylvania Professors Go On Strike http://wypr.org/post/pennsylvania-professors-go-strike
536795 as http://wypr.orgWed, 19 Oct 2016 20:59:00 +0000Pennsylvania Professors Go On Strike Sonari GlintonAt some point everyone, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof, wants to bail from a presidential election. Okay, that's a hunch, but it's borne out, at least in part (caveats aplenty), in an online survey by the American Psychological Association. Fifty-two percent of American adults tell the pollsters that the 2016 election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress. The survey was conducted online among adults 18-year-olds and older living in the U.S. by Harris Poll for the Association. "For the past decade, the Stress in America™ survey has examined how stress affects the health and well-being of American adults. Prior to the release of this year's full survey results slated for early 2017, APA highlighted data that points to Americans' stress levels related to the upcoming presidential election. " 'We're seeing that it doesn't matter whether you're registered as a Democrat or Republican — U.S. adults say they are experiencing significant stress from the currentSurvey Says Americans Are Getting Stressed By The Electionshttp://wypr.org/post/survey-says-americans-are-getting-stressed-elections
536633 as http://wypr.orgSat, 15 Oct 2016 13:00:00 +0000Survey Says Americans Are Getting Stressed By The ElectionsSonari GlintonThe suspect in last month's bombings in New Jersey and New York that injured dozens pleaded not guilty Thursday. Ahmad Khan Rahimi was arraigned in Elizabeth, N.J., via teleconference. The 28-year-old Rahimi has been recovering in a hospital after a shootout with police. He pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder and weapons offenses. The charges are related to Rahimi's alleged detonation on Sept. 17 of a pipe bomb along the route of a charity race in Seaside Park, N.J., and a pressure-cooker bomb in New York. No one was hurt in the New Jersey bombing. The Associated Press reports: "Rahimi, an Afghan-born U.S. citizen, has been hospitalized with gunshot wounds since a police shootout that led to his capture on Sept. 19 outside a bar in Linden [N.J.]. His head was propped up on pillows, while public defender Peter Liguori stood by his side wearing a disposable hospital gown and plastic gloves. "Rahimi, 28, is charged with five counts of attempted murder of a policeBombing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To Attempted Murder And Weapons Chargeshttp://wypr.org/post/bombing-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-attempted-murder-and-weapons-charges
536579 as http://wypr.orgThu, 13 Oct 2016 22:53:00 +0000Bombing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To Attempted Murder And Weapons ChargesSonari GlintonThe brakes on the New Jersey Transit train that crashed into the platform at Hoboken Terminal on Sept. 29 show no signs of any defect. That's according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board released Thursday. One person on the platform was killed and more than 100 passengers and crew members were injured. According to the report, the brakes were removed from the wreckage and tested, and they functioned as designed. The NTSB has scheduled additional testing after finding the electronics controlling the train's brakes and propulsion system were destroyed in the crash. Data from the accident show the train sped up and was going twice the 10-mph speed limit. The agency says it tested the signal and train control system. Both the engineer and conductor were interviewed by NTSB investigators. Investigators inspected the track structure and mechanical equipment involved in the accident. The train engineer has been working for New Jersey Transit since 1987. HeReport Says Brakes From Hoboken Train Crash Show No Defectshttp://wypr.org/post/report-says-brakes-hoboken-train-crash-show-no-defects
536573 as http://wypr.orgThu, 13 Oct 2016 21:06:00 +0000Report Says Brakes From Hoboken Train Crash Show No DefectsSonari GlintonAdd to Volkswagen's woes an auto safety recall. Volkswagen and its Audi brand are recalling nearly 281,500 vehicles owing to fuel leaks. The recall is massive for VW. The company sold approximately 350,000 vehicles in the last year. There are actually three separate recalls but all pertain to fuel leaks, though the defects could be different. For many vehicles the suction pump in the fuel tank was improperly assembled, according to Volkswagen. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire. So far, Volkswagen and Audi say they're unaware of any fires related to the problem. The vehicles affected are Audi's A3, A6, A7 Q5, Q7 and VW's Golf, SportWagen, and GTI. The problems go back as far as 2007. These are VW's and Audi's best-selling cars and SUVs. The exact vehicles in this recall and all other automotive safety recalls can be found at recalls.gov . (While researching just now, I realized my car has a safety recall.) Volkswagen says it will notify all ownersVolkswagen Is Recalling More Vehicles, But It's Not About The Diesel Scandalhttp://wypr.org/post/volkswagen-recalling-more-vehicles-its-not-about-diesel-scandal
536357 as http://wypr.orgFri, 07 Oct 2016 22:17:00 +0000Volkswagen Is Recalling More Vehicles, But It's Not About The Diesel ScandalSonari GlintonAdd to the list of worrisome economic trends what economists call "NEETs" — young people who are N ot in E ducation, E mployment or T raining. Their numbers are growing, now 40 million in the 35 member countries of the OECD — the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. And two-thirds of them are not actively looking for work. The figures come from the biennial OECD report, Society at a Glance 2016 . In the United States, 14.4 percent of young people age 15-29 are NEETs, according to the OECD. This report follows others that illustrate how the Great Recession disproportionately affected young people. It says one in 10 jobs held by workers under 30 have disappeared. And the OECD says the trend could affect economic mobility, as well as national and economic security for years to come. In particular, the report highlights the dismal prospects of "early school leavers," young people who do not complete secondary school. Imara Jones , an economist who looks at race and'Early School Leavers' Face Dismal Social And Economic Prospectshttp://wypr.org/post/early-school-leavers-face-dismal-social-and-economic-prospects
536312 as http://wypr.orgFri, 07 Oct 2016 07:30:00 +0000'Early School Leavers' Face Dismal Social And Economic ProspectsSonari GlintonGeneral Motors, Ford, Honda and Fiat Chrysler all saw their sales go down in September . On the other hand, sale of Nissans and Toyotas were up. Car sales in 2016 are on pace with 2015, says Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst with Edmunds.com. In 2015, 17.5 million vehicles were sold. Caldwell also says, "Just because we're not seeing the same amount of growth as we've had in the past six years, it's not a bad thing because we're on a record pace." Caldwell says the fundamentals of the market surrounding cars remain strong. That's despite the fact that overall the sales of passenger vehicles fell 0.7 percent to 1.4 million last month. Caldwell points out that gas prices and interest rates are low which helps sales. The Conference Board which tracks consumer confidence has it at a nine-year high . In a normal year, Caldwell says we'd be worried about a sales plateau but she says, "We're plateauing at the highest level ever. We're at point in which automakers are going to make money,September Figures Show U.S. Car Sales Plateauhttp://wypr.org/post/september-figures-show-us-car-sales-plateau
536166 as http://wypr.orgMon, 03 Oct 2016 22:11:00 +0000September Figures Show U.S. Car Sales PlateauSonari GlintonSamsung is facing another big problem with one of its products — reports of exploding top-loading washing machines. The timing likely couldn't be less serendipitous. Earlier this month, Samsung recalled its new Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after dozens of users reported that the batteries exploded or caught fire. Both the consumer electronics company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued warnings to consumers this week about potential safety issues with some washers. This comes after a class-action lawsuit in New Jersey by U.S. consumers who say their machines exploded during normal use. Samsung says the issue affects top loaders manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016, which "may experience abnormal vibrations" when washing certain items. It's not clear exactly how many washers are affected or whether the problem is limited to machines sold in the U.S. Both Samsung and the CPSC say they are working together on a remedy for affected consumers, but they did not provideSamsung's Latest Headache: Reports That Washing Machines May Explode http://wypr.org/post/samsungs-latest-headache-reports-washing-machines-may-explode
536047 as http://wypr.orgFri, 30 Sep 2016 18:57:00 +0000Samsung's Latest Headache: Reports That Washing Machines May Explode Sonari GlintonA new study highlights differences between the races as they view the recent spate of deadly encounters between blacks and law enforcement. A survey by the Pew Research Center finds only a third of blacks and nearly three-quarters of whites say police in their communities do an excellent or good job using appropriate force. From Pew's report: "Most whites (75%) say their local police do an excellent or good job when it comes to using the right amount of force for each situation. Only 33% of blacks share this view; 63% say the police do only a fair or poor job in this area. About six-in-ten Hispanics (62%) say their community's police are doing at least a good job in this area, while 35% say they are doing only a fair or poor job. When it comes to treating racial or ethnic groups equally, 35% of blacks say the police department in their community does an excellent or good job, compared with 75% of whites. Conversely, about a quarter (23%) of blacks say their police department does onlyA Wide Gulf Persists Between Black And White Perceptions Of Policinghttp://wypr.org/post/wide-gulf-persists-between-black-and-white-perceptions-policing
536021 as http://wypr.orgThu, 29 Sep 2016 21:55:00 +0000A Wide Gulf Persists Between Black And White Perceptions Of PolicingSonari GlintonAmericans want to stay in control of their cars, a new study finds. According to a study by Kelley Blue Book, 80 percent of Americans say people should always have the option to drive themselves. This study comes just a week after the Department of Transportation released regulatory guidelines for self-driving vehicles . And it comes comes as car companies are spending billions to advance the technology . But despite the push toward autonomous cars, consumers remain unconvinced. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and safety advocates have pointed to the increased safety that automation could bring. According to the survey, 51 percent of those surveyed say they "prefer to have full control of my vehicle, even if it's not as safe for other drivers." This is the latest study that shows a disconnect between the perceptions of the public and industry claims of increased safety. A Harris Poll in 2015 showed an equal percentage of Americans see self-driving cars as the future, butAmericans Unconvinced Of Potential Good Of Self-Driving Cars, Study Findshttp://wypr.org/post/americans-unconvinced-potential-good-self-driving-cars-study-finds
535990 as http://wypr.orgThu, 29 Sep 2016 16:27:00 +0000Americans Unconvinced Of Potential Good Of Self-Driving Cars, Study FindsSonari GlintonThere are two "firsts" in the list of highest-paid comedians that was put out by Forbes on Tuesday: For the first time in a decade, someone other than Jerry Seinfeld tops the rankings; and a woman is in the top 10 for the first time, according to Forbes' tally. Kevin Hart ended Seinfeld's decade of dominating the list of highest-paid comedians in decisive fashion, using his tour of huge venues to earn $87.5 million — roughly double the $43.5 million that Seinfeld, the next-most successful comedian on the list, made in the same period from June 2015 to June 2016, Forbes reports . Amy Schumer is the first woman to break into the list of comedy's top earners, with $17 million netting her the fourth spot in the rankings. And like Hart — who says on his Twitter bio, "My name is Kevin Hart and I WORK HARD!!" — Schumer is building on her recent success. Schumer, 35, is on a world tour that will send her to Australia later this year; like Hart, she's currently playing U.S. venues that normallyKevin Hart And Amy Schumer: The New King And Queen Of Comedy http://wypr.org/post/kevin-hart-and-amy-schumer-new-king-and-queen-comedy
535904 as http://wypr.orgTue, 27 Sep 2016 20:42:00 +0000Kevin Hart And Amy Schumer: The New King And Queen Of Comedy